Creatine is the number-one sports activities efficiency complement obtainable.
But regardless of its research-backed advantages, some folks keep away from creatine as a result of they’re afraid it’s dangerous for well being.
Some declare it causes weight acquire, cramping, and digestive, liver, or kidney issues.
This text gives an evidence-based overview of creatine’s security and unwanted side effects.
What Are Its Purported Aspect Results?
Relying on who you ask, the recommended unwanted side effects of creatine could embrace:
Moreover, some folks wrongly declare that creatine is an anabolic steroid, that it’s unsuitable for ladies or youngsters, or that it ought to solely be utilized by skilled athletes or bodybuilders.
Regardless of the unfavourable press, the Worldwide Society of Sports activities Diet regards creatine as extraordinarily secure, concluding that it is without doubt one of the most helpful sports activities dietary supplements obtainable (1).
Main researchers who’ve studied creatine for a number of many years additionally conclude that it is without doubt one of the most secure dietary supplements available on the market (2).
One examine examined 52 well being markers after contributors took creatine dietary supplements for 21 months. It discovered no opposed results (2).
Creatine has additionally been used to deal with varied illnesses and well being issues, together with neuromuscular problems, concussions, diabetes, and muscle loss (1, 3, 4, 5).
What Does It Do in Your Physique?
Creatine is discovered all through your physique, with 95% saved in your muscle groups (6).
It’s obtained from meat and fish and may also be produced naturally in your physique from amino acids (7).
Nevertheless, your food plan and pure creatine ranges don’t usually maximize muscle shops of this compound.
The typical shops are about 120 mmol/kg, however creatine dietary supplements can elevate these shops to round 140–150 mmol/kg (8).
Throughout high-intensity train, the saved creatine helps your muscle groups produce extra power. That is the primary purpose that creatine enhances train efficiency (9).
When you fill your muscle’s creatine shops, any extra is damaged down into creatinine, which is metabolized by your liver and excreted in your urine (8).
Does It Trigger Dehydration or Cramps?
Creatine alters your physique’s saved water content material, driving extra water into your muscle cells (10).
This reality could also be behind the speculation that creatine causes dehydration. Nevertheless, this shift in mobile water content material is minor, and no analysis helps the claims about dehydration.
A 3-year examine of school athletes discovered that these taking creatine had fewer circumstances of dehydration, muscle cramps, or muscle accidents than these not taking it. In addition they missed fewer classes as a result of sickness or harm (11).
One examine examined creatine use throughout train in sizzling climate, which might speed up cramping and dehydration. Throughout a 35-minute biking session in 99°F (37°C) warmth, creatine had no opposed results in comparison with a placebo (12).
Additional examination through blood checks additionally confirmed no distinction in hydration or electrolyte ranges, which play a key position in muscle cramps (12).
Essentially the most conclusive analysis has been carried out in people present process hemodialysis, a medical therapy that will trigger muscle cramps. Researchers famous that creatine decreased cramping incidents by 60% (13).
Primarily based on the present proof, creatine doesn’t trigger dehydration or cramping. If something, it could defend in opposition to these circumstances.
Does It Trigger Weight Acquire?
Analysis has completely documented that creatine dietary supplements trigger a fast enhance in physique weight.
After one week of high-dose loading of creatine (20 grams/day), your weight will increase by round 2–6 kilos (1–3 kg) as a result of elevated water in your muscle groups (1, 14).
Over the long run, research present that physique weight could proceed to extend to a larger extent in creatine customers than in non-creatine customers. Nevertheless, weight acquire is because of elevated muscle development — not elevated physique fats (15).
For many athletes, the extra muscle is a constructive adaptation that will enhance sports activities efficiency. As it is usually one of many essential causes folks take creatine, it shouldn’t be thought-about a facet impact (1, 14).
Elevated muscle may have advantages for older adults, overweight people, and people with sure illnesses (16, 17, 18, 19, 20).
How Does It Have an effect on Your Kidneys and Liver? – “creatine and kidneys”
Creatine can barely increase ranges of creatinine in your blood. Creatinine is usually measured to diagnose kidney or liver issues.
Nevertheless, the truth that creatine raises creatinine ranges doesn’t imply that it’s harming your liver or kidneys (21).
To this point, no examine of creatine use in wholesome people has offered proof of hurt to those organs (1, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26).
A protracted-term examine of school athletes discovered no unwanted side effects associated to liver or kidney perform. Different research measuring organic markers within the urine additionally discovered no distinction after creatine ingestion (27).
One of many longest research up to now — lasting for 4 years — equally concluded that creatine has no unfavourable unwanted side effects (24).
One other well-liked examine typically cited within the media reported kidney illness in a male weightlifter who supplemented with creatine (28).
Nevertheless, this single case examine is inadequate proof. Quite a few different elements, together with extra dietary supplements, had been additionally concerned (26, 28).
That mentioned, creatine dietary supplements must be approached with warning you probably have a historical past of liver or kidney points.
Does It Trigger Digestive Issues?
As with many dietary supplements or drugs, extreme doses could trigger digestive points.
In a single examine, the 5-gram advisable dose prompted no digestive issues, whereas a 10-gram dose elevated diarrhea threat by 37% (29).
For that reason, the advisable serving is ready at 3–5 grams. The 20-gram loading protocol can also be break up into 4 servings of 5 grams every over the course of a day (1).
One main researcher reviewed a number of research and concluded that creatine doesn’t enhance digestive issues when taken at advisable doses (30).
Nevertheless, it’s potential that components, elements, or contaminants generated in the course of the industrial manufacturing of creatine can result in points (21, 31).
It’s due to this fact advisable that you simply buy a trusted, high-quality product.
How Does It Work together With Different Medicine?
As with all food plan or complement routine, it’s best to debate your creatine plans with a physician or different medical skilled earlier than you begin.
You may additionally want to keep away from creatine dietary supplements if you’re taking any drugs that have an effect on liver or kidney perform.
Drugs that will work together with creatine embrace cyclosporine, aminoglycosides, gentamicin, tobramycin, anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen, and quite a few others (7).
Creatine may also help enhance blood sugar administration, so if you’re utilizing medicine recognized to have an effect on blood sugar, it’s best to focus on creatine use with a physician (5).
You must also seek the advice of a medical skilled if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a critical situation, comparable to coronary heart illness or most cancers.
“creatine and kidneys”